Immersed in education

March 1, 2011

Contacts:

College of Education, 657-2315Dan Carter, University Relations, 657-2269

College of Education student exposed to real world of teaching with junior field experience

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — The assignment is to think about words that end in “ice” and “ace.” Invariably,
however, attention spans wander and some neighborly talk turns from sounding out “place”
and “twice” to questions such as “what’s for lunch?”

Welcome to the world of second grade.

For Lockwood Primary teacher Deb Carlson, it’s just another day in the classroom.
Keeping lesson plans moving forward while simultaneously keeping attentions focused
and runny noses in check is all a part of the job.

In the thick of it all this spring, however, is Sara Paddock, a student in Montana
State University Billings’ elementary education program. And she’s soaking it all
up.

“The best part is when I come in and they’re really excited to see me,” said Paddock
during a break in the day. “That’s great.”

Working on a double major in elementary education and special education with a minor
in business marketing, Paddock is among dozens of college juniors immersing themselves
in classroom knowledge as part of their college education experience. Fulfilling the
“junior field” requirement is one of the many thresholds College of Education students
must cross to become teaching candidates. It is one of the many practical experiences
that breathe life into college classroom lessons.

“This is real life,” said Carlson, who graduated from the education program at Eastern
Montana College in 1994 and did her junior field experience in Lockwood.

Walking roughly a mile between desks while checking student work on Monday, Paddock
is more than a casual observer in Carlson’s classroom. She helps some of the 19 students
with their writing while Carlson works individually with the second-graders who are
learning to write their names in cursive. She has done an occasional lesson plan since
starting her work in January and is getting first-hand experience with the latest
electronic classroom technology.

It’s not an easy task. She is getting the Lockwood experience while also taking a
full load of classes, working at the university’s main information desk and serving
as a student senator for the Associated Students for Montana State University Billings.

But she wouldn’t pass it up for anything.

“The best part is being able to jump in and get some actual experience,” Paddock said.

Deftly making her way between desks, Paddock uses a marker to ink some stars on papers
where students are showing progress on writing the letter “d” in cursive. Other students
work on writing their names in cursive. With that famous “eyes-in-the-back-of-her-head”
teacher moment, she senses some inattention in a row behind her.

“Who’s practicing their name?” is the quick inquiry.

And just like that, pencils are put back into attention.

Whether the experience is helping to form letters into a word or formatting technology
in the classroom, the Beaverton, Ore., student said her work with Carlson is priceless.

“You find out that having an extra set of hands in the classroom can really be helpful,”
Paddock said.

The practical classroom involvement is a key part of the MSU Billings College of Education
experience. Located in a metropolitan area with nearly 30 elementary schools, students
in the elementary education program in Billings have the opportunity for a rich, diverse
field experience.

College students find the combination of theoretical and practically oriented classes
help them develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions that will enable them to
become effective and successful educators.

For Paddock, who attended the University of Oregon for a year before transferring
to MSU Billings, the attention the faculty give to the students and the opportunity
to get her feet wet is a real bonus.

“I really like the smaller class size,” she said of her college experience. “The teachers
here actually get to know you. I never even met my advisor when I was in Oregon.”

Suddenly, it’s time for lunch and the kids file out the door. Paddock and Carlson
notice that one boy was busy drawing cartoons instead of writing his name. He spends
the next couple of minutes showing that he can do the assignment. With a prospective
teacher and her mentor looking on, the boy gets the individual attention he needs,
even if he may not have seen it coming.

Welcome to the world of second grade.

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For information on the various undergraduate and graduate program offerings in the
MSU Billings College of Education, go to www.msubillings.edu/coe/ or call 657-2315.

PHOTOS ABOVE: Sara Paddock, a junior in the Montana State University Billings College of Education,
works with second-graders at Lockwood Primary School this week. Paddock is working
with Deb Carlson, who graduated from the same program in 1994. The photos above show
Paddock working with students and with Carlson.